Bangladesh
Lockdown Lockdown for at least another week, restrictions to be relaxed during Eid
Dhaka, July 12: The lockdown will continue for at least another week as the coronavirus infection situation has not improved. As such, restrictions will remain in place during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha holiday (July 20-22). However, despite the extension of the ban, the government is thinking of easing the activities related to the sale of sacrificial animals.
At the same time, a decision may be taken to open public transport, shopping malls and shops in compliance with limited health regulations, according to the Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Public Administration. However, the final decisions regarding everything will be taken on Tuesday (July 13).
Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of Muslims, will be celebrated on Wednesday, July 21.
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told reporters on Sunday (July 11), "If we want to reduce the infection, we have to continue this process (restriction) at different stages. We have a market for sacrificial animals. We are thinking about how we can control the situation by combining these two issues. We are discussing how we can do it [keep the markets open as well as follow safety] in a controlled way in markets."
"Instructions will be given so that no one leaves the city they are working in, during Eid holidays. There will be restrictions on the movement of people during Eid. Because the experience of last Eid was not good. Coronavirus spread in the villages as people went home. This made the villages vulnerable," he said.
Farhad Hossain said the government is working on many alternative methods.
"Our goal is to control the spread of the coronavirus. Arrangements will be made so that no one can actually come to the market on foot. There will also be arrangements so that people can get out of the market quickly," he said.
"We have many kinds of advice. We will have a meeting before making a final decision. I will consider the advice of the National Technical Committee on Covid-19," the minister told reporters.
Farhad Hossain also said that the next notification on the ban would be issued on Tuesday (July 13) after discussing the situation of coronavirus infection with Prime Minister Hasina.
